Medical Examiner IDs Victim Of Deadly Stabbing In Escondido Apartment

San Diego CA

29 December, 2020

8:28 PM

Description

By Chris Jennewein, the Times of San Diego December 29, 2020 The San Diego County Medical Examiner on Tuesday released the name of an Escondido man who was stabbed to death in an apartment he shared with a woman who was later arrested. Rafael Octavio Choza, 63, suffered multiple stab wounds on Dec. 22. Police arrested 52-year-old Shelley Reaves on suspicion of killing Choza in the apartment at 660 N. Quince St. Dispatchers received a call shortly after 7 p.m. that day from a woman who reported that her roommate was dead inside an apartment, Escondido Police Lt. Kevin Toth said. Officers responded to the apartment and found an unresponsive man "with obvious signs of trauma," Toth said. Reaves, who was out on bond following a previous arrest, was arrested on suspicion of murder and booked into the Vista Detention Facility. Investigators confirmed that Reaves and Choza were involved in a dating relationship. Choza's death is now being investigated as a domestic-related homicide, Toth said. Authorities said Reaves has a known history of drug use, and police are investigating whether she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the homicide. Anyone with information regarding the killing was encouraged to contact the Escondido Police Department. — City News Service >> Subscribe to Times of San Diego's free daily email newsletter! Click here Times of San Diego is an independent online news site covering the San Diego metropolitan area. Our journalists report on politics, crime, business, sports, education, arts, the military and everyday life in San Diego. No subscription is required, and you can sign up for a free daily newsletter with a summary of the latest news.